Photocomposing process for the production of process copies without use of a layout

ABSTRACT

990,476. Photographic typecomposing. FILMKLISCKEE G.m.b.H. Feb. 6, 1962 [Feb. 14, 1961], No. 4586/62. Drawings to Specification. Heading B6W. A photographic typecomposing process for the direct production of text-matter comprises projecting with non-actinic light. on to a photographic material, the light-sensitive coating of which is impregnated with a developing solution, the image of the type character to be reproduced, adjusting the position of the character image on the material, e.g. with respect to other characters thereon, and then projecting an image of the character with actinic light on to the material whereby exposure and development are effected simultaneously. Preferably the photographic material is a paper or transparent base film with a light-sensitive coating of steep gradation and low-sensitivity such as a highcontrast silver chloride paper having a large threshold exposure value, the non-actinic light used is red light, and the exposing light is strong white light. The exposed and developed material is finally fixed.

July 20, 1965 A. SEELIG 3,196,016

PHOTOCOMPOSING PROCES OR THE PRODUCTION OF PROCESS COPIES T UT USE OF A LAYOUT ed Feb. 6, 1962 a b y b 5 .2 E Er 27 .3 v Erf a v b y 4 E 4 Erfo Q b c Erfo'i Erfol Erfolg; Erfolg 1 z Lax-Sec ATTORNEY;

United States Patent 3,196,016 PHOTOCOMPOSING PROCESS FOR THE PRO- DUCTION OF PROCESS COPIES WITHOUT USE OF A LAYOUT Anton Seelig, Munich, Germany, assignor to Film-Klischee G.m.h.H., Munich, Germany, a company of Germany Filed Feb. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 171,394 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 14, 1961, F 33,202 4 Claims. (Cl. 9643) This invention relates to a process of composing text copies photographically. A special advantage of the invention is the optical control during the photographic settingthat is, the operator can visually watch the formation of a word through single letters, as in writing, and can regulate the positioning of the various letters.

There are photo-composing processes known which use a device that is very similar in its construction to a photographic enlarger. In these procedures, a type disc carrying all letters and signs of an alphabet in negative presentation is moved into the course of the rays of the enlarging apparatus and the desired type negative is exposed on light-sensitive material. If an entire word is to be composed photographically by means of single letters, it is necessary to mark the position of each preceding letter in one way or other so that the following letter can be placed in a correct corresponding position.

It has, therefore, already been suggested to mark the position of the preceding letter by means of signs which are shown on rulers or discs. Further, it has been attempted to determine and control the positions of the letters by so-called lay-outs. T 0 do this, the light-sensitive material was placed on the projection or picture platform of the enlarger under a masking plate which could be tipped oif. The lay-out was fastened to the upper side of the masking plate. This masking plate as well as the lightsensitive material were fastened in their respective levels. The relative positions of these two non-coinciding levels could not be shifted. The desired letter was then selected on the type disc, and was moved to cover the corresponding letter of the lay-out. With the position of the letter thus being determined, the masking plate with the lay-out was tipped off and the letter was exposed on the underlying light-sensitive material thus exposed. This operation was repeated until the entire word had been composed. The lay-out, in such cases, contained either the complete text to be set, or the complete text could he formed or designed during the setting.

Another process involves the use of a luminous foil of long-lasting intensity to determine positioning of the letters. The light-sensitive material is, in this case, covered by a masking plate on top of which the luminous foil is placed. Each sign or letter is first projected on the luminous foil and after removal of the masking plate also on the light-sensitive material. Positioning of the letters is controlled and regulated on the luminous foil.

All of the above-mentioned processes are attended, howover, by certain disadvantages. The use of a lay-out lengthens the setting process considerably. In addition to the composition of a lay-out, developing of the lightsensitive material with the latent picture is necessary. Only during developing can it be observed Whether the exposure time and the intensity on the light-sensitive material were correct. Furthermore, all so far known processes with optical control have great difficulties in connection with setting small type sizes down to approximately 6 point Didot (English point system=6.419).

' The present invention provides a process which does not require a lay-out to determine letter spacing and posi- Patented July 20, 1965 tioning, but makes it possible to watch the composition of the word to be set letter after letter, as in writing.

If a light-sensitive photographic material is impregnated with developing solution and a type sign projected thereon, the sign appears after some time in black on the photographic material. This eifect can be reached with almost any photographic material. However, experience revealed that a very reduced light intensity must be used in order to obtain sharply cut signs. The developing process for each sign requires about one (1) minute. A stronger intensity would shorten the developing time: however, by reason of diffusion, the edges of the type signs appear, then, blurred and vague. Furthermore, the developer blackens the photographic material within a short period of time even without exposure.

It was a special object of this invention to provide a process which eliminates all these disadvantages. Investigations disclosed surprisingly that photographic materials with very low sensitivity and steep gradation, such as are normally used for contact copies only, have all the qualities required of a composition which will be used as reproduction copy or as copyable original. These materials are approximately 200 to 300 times less sensitive than normal paper for photographic enlarging, and are generally used for contact printing only. Such materials impregnated with developing solution show after exposure by means of an enlarging device a deep black sign with clear edges. The light intensity selected can be so strong that the sign is developed within one (1) second. It is possible to impregnate such photographic materials with developin solution during a long period of time and the solution will not blaclaen the materials. It has been found, further, that these materials have the advantageous peculiarity that they are not influenced by subdued red daylight, even if impregnated with developer solution and do not require a dark room for processing and that they may eventually be used in subdued daylight.

The following example illustrates how a word is composed photographically under optical control. The device used works similar to a pohtographic enlarger. It contains a red filter placed in the course of the rays. By means of this red filter, the letter may be projected and adjusted on the ligh -sensitive material without influencing the latter. The red fitter is removed from the course of the ray during the exposure and the photographic material thus exposed to actinic, preferably strong white light. After exposure, the red filter moves automatically back in the course of the rays.

The light-sensitive material may be placed on a socalled cross-slide which is movable to the left and right and also vertically. This is necessary in order to set several lines one under the other. Photographic material having steep gradation and a light sensitivity one-two hundredth that of normal photographic paper is dipped into a developing solution. After about 26 seconds of soaking in this solution, the material is taken out and wiped in order to remove any drops of solution sticking to the coating. The moistened material is then put on the cross-slide. The accompanying drawing, in which FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate composing the German word Erfolg, shows the further procedure.

According to FIG. la, letter E is selected and is projected on the light-sensitive photographic material, saturated with developer solution, using red light. While the projected E is visible to the operator, so that he can adjust the paper with respect to the locus of projection of the E, the projected red rays do not serve to biacken the paper. The illustrated FIG. la shows red in hatching. For the following exposure to actinic, e.g. strong white, light for about one second the red filter is removed from the path of the light rays and the light-sensitive material is exposed to the actinic light and blackens immediately to bring the letter r into line with the E, may be effected, and the cross-slide is moved to the left until it is in the desired position next to E (see FIG. 2b). as visually observed. Thereupon, the red filter is removed and the exposure to actinic light blackens the r immediately (see FIG. 20).

These operations are repeated in the same manner (see FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6) until the entire word Erfolg is composed. Setting of this word takes approximately 1 /2 to 2 minutes. The light-sensitive material is taken oil of the cross-slide, preferably again dipped into the developing solution (about 2 to 3 seconds only) in order to equalize eventual irregularities in developing, and thereafter fixed in a normal fixative bath, rinsed and dried.

' A process copy or a copyable transparent original showing deep black signs which are sharper cut than any letterpress print on baryta paper are thus obtained. 7

The photographic material used for this process has an exceedingly contrast-rich silver chloride emulsion layer of very low sensitivity; its maximum sensitivity is in the yellow-green range at about 540 A. wavelength. The paper base of this photographic paper is a web of about 85 grams per square meter and made without addition of baryta. This illustrative paper provides the two essential characteristics of The curves shown in attached FIG. 7 illustrate the important characteristics of photographic papers useful in the carrying out of this process. In FIG. 7 the Abscissa (in logarithmic scale) represent exposures, measured in Lux. sec,i.e., light intensity times time of exposureand the Ordinates (also in logarithmic scale) represent Degree of Blackening S= wherein a is the ratio of the quantity of light reflected by the darkened spot to the quantity of incident light. Thus, a darkened spot with a blackening degree of 5:1 reflects 1 E61=0.1=10% of the incident light, whereas it the degree of blackening is 2, the spot reflects 1 W 0.01 of the incident light.

As can be seen from the curves in FIG. 7, some materials give practically no blackening unless a minimum value of the exposure I is exceeded. The higher this minimum value, the lesser the sensitivity. For the present invention, 1 should be at least 1.5 and preferably more than 20. Such papers are known per se, but have been used up to now only for direct contact photos, and not for recording projected images.

The slope of the curves is a direct measure of the gradation. For the present invention the slope should be as steepas possible, i.e., at least 45? and preferably steeper than 75 from the horizontal. I

Typical examples for good usable combinations of sensitivity and gradation are:

Gradation curves of these examples do not appear in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, curves (a) and (b) represent photographic materials which are not usable in the present invention because they are too sensitive and their gradation is not sufiiciently steep, whereas curve (c) represents an operable photographic material of tolerable sensitivity and usably steep gradation. Curves (d) and (e) represent photographic materials having preferred steepness of gradation and relatively low sensitivity.

A developer solution which gives good results is:

Metol 1 Sodium sulphite sicc 13 Hydroquinone 3 Na CO Slcc KEr 1' (Dissolved in water and diluted to a volume of 1,000 cm. (1 liter).)

(Dissolved in water and diluted to 1,000 cm} (1 liter).)

For fixation of the image the following solution gives good results:

I G. Sodium thiosulphate crystals 200 20 Potassium meta-bisulphite (Dissolved and diluted to 1,000 crn.

If desired, the paper can be treated after fixation with a 1% solution of Na CO in water for about one minute in order to shorten the time necessary for the subsequent washing.

As an apparatus for carrying out the process practically any projector is usable which projects a real image of the letter or type selected from the letter slide onto the photographic material, so long as means are provided for moving the photographic material under the projector in every direction desired, so as to place the projected image on the proper spot on the photographic paper before exposure to actinic light. The cross-slide is just such a means for moving the material; A combination of a cross-slide with a photographic camera is described in Einfuhrung in die Mikrofilmtechnik by Janiak & Raabe, Ed. Verlag Peter Steffen G.m.b.H., pp. 53-55.

I claim:

1. Photocomposing process .for the production of a process copy which comprises. the steps consisting essentially of impregnating with developing solution a photosensitive base having a lightsensitive coating containing silver chloride, of a steep gradation corresponding to a slope of at least 45 of the gradation curve obtained by plotting the exposure in Lux. sec as abscissa against the degree of blackening produced by such exposure as ordinate, both in logarithmic scale, and of a sensitivity low enough that no blackening occurs unless exposed to at least 1.5 Lux. sec. projecting a picture of a type negative with visible non-actinic light onto the impregnated base; adjusting the position of the base with" respect to the locus of the projection of the type picture thereon; then, without use of a layout, projecting the picture of the type negative on the base with strong actinic light; simultaneouly developing. the resulting image; repeating the above defined sequence of steps until the process copy has been completed; and fixing said process copy in a fixative bath.

2. Photocomposing process for the production of a' process copy which comprises the steps consisting essenti-' ally of impregnating with developing solution a photosensitive base having a light-sensitive coating containing silver chloride of a steep gradation corresponding to a slope of at least 75 of the curve obtained by plotting the exposure in Lux. sec. as abscissa against the degree of blackening produced by such exposure as ordinate, both in logarithmic scale, and of a sensitivity low enough that no blackening occurs unless exposed to at least 2 Lux. sec. projecting a picture of a type negative with visible nonactinic light onto the impregnated base; adjusting the position of the base with respect to the locus of projection of the type picture thereon; then, without use of a layout, projecting the picture of the type negative on the base with strong actinic light; simultaneously developing the resulting image; repeating the above defined sequence of steps until the process copy has been completed; and fixing said process copy in a fixative bath.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/54 Lahr 96-43 OTHER REFERENCES The Ilford Manual of Photography, published by Ilford Limited, May 1958, Fifth Edition, page 513. TR146I5 1958 C2.

3. The process defined in claim 1, in which the pro- 15 NORMAN G. TORCHIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. PHOTOCOMPOSING PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PROCESS COPY WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF IMPREGNATING WITH DEVELOPING SOLUTION A PHOTOSENSITIVE BASE HAVING A LIGHTSENSITIVE COATING CONTAINING SILVER CHLORIDE, OF A STEEP GRADATION CORRESPONDING TO A SLOPE OF AT LEAST 45* OF THE GRADATION CURVE OBTAINED BY PLOTTING THE EXPOSURE IN LUX. SEC AS ABSCISSA AGAINST THE DEGREE OF BLACKENING PRODUCED BY SUCH EXPOSURE AS ORDINATE, BOTH IN LOGARITHMIC SCALE, AND OF A SENSITIVITY LOW ENOUGH THAT NO BLACKENING OCCURS UNLESS EXPOSED TO AT LEAST 1.5 LUX. SEC,; PROJECTING A PICTURE OF A TYPE NEGATIVE WITH VISIBLE NON-ACTINIC LIGHT ONTO THE IMPREGNATED BASE; ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE BASE WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCUS OF THE PROJECTION OF THE TYPE PICTURE THEREON; THEN, WITHOUT USE OF A LAYOUT, PROJECTING THE PICTURE OF THE TYPE NEGATIVE ON THE BASE WITH STRONG ACTINIC LIGHT; SIMULTANEOUSLY DEVELOPING THE RESULTING IMAGE; REPEATING THE ABOVE DEFINED SEQUENCE OF STEPS UNTIL THE PROCESS COPY HAS BEEN COMPLETED; AND FIXING SAID PROCESS COPY IN A FIXATIVE BATH. 